Matrix



(Specimens.)

J. JACOBSON.

MATRDL- Patented 'June 15, 1897.

8 e G e e iNMED STATES ATENT FFICE.

JOHN JACOBSON, OF BOSTON, MASSAOI-IUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T WVILLIAM B. LAMBERI, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSAOHUSETTS.

MATRIX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,553, dated J une 15, 1897. Application filed E'ebruary 17,1897. Serial No. 623,826. (Specimens) T0 CLZZ whom it may concern- Beit known that I, J OHN J ACOBSON, of Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Matrices, of whioh the foliowing deseript-ion, in eonneetion with the aoco1n panying drawings, is a speeifioation, like ietters 011 the drawings representing iike parts.

The present nvention relates to a 1natrix ada-pted to be used in produoing dies for embossing prints or photographs or molds for making medallions or the like,in any of Whioh cases the figures are to be brought out in relief.

The matrix embodying the present invention consists, essentialiy, of a base or body the shape of whioh is snob as to produce the necessary prominence to correspond to the general shape of the objeet or objects to. be reproduoed, while its surface has thereon in comparatively W relief the details of the objeot or design to be reproduoed. In the case of a portrait, for example, the shape of the matrix would be suoh as to have a generally ova1 prominenoe to oorrespond to the shape of the head or face and 130 conforma in a general way to the forehead, nose, ohin, &c., while the surfaoe of the matrix would have thereon in substantially 1ow reiief the finer details of the poture.

The main object of the invention is to provde means whereby a photographie process, suoh as the swelied-geiatin process, whieh in itself is oapable only of reproducing the design in 10W reief on a substantially flat surfaoe, may be utiiized in produeing a matrix having a high relief correspondng to the gen eral form of the design and a surface reiief in addition, which gives the minor or super" ficial details of the design. 11: is essential, therefore, that the surfaoe portion of the matrix should be of sueh a nature as to be oapable of being molded or otherwise forn1ed With a 10W relief thereon while it is snbstan- 5 tially flat and afterward shaped as a whole to bulge or swell the surfaee in aooordance With the prominent relief required without impairing the eonfiguration already fonned therein in low relief. After it has been thus shaped,

moreover, it is essential that it should retain the shape while a mold or cast is being taken from it to be used in producing a die or medallion, and it is neeessary, therefore, that the base portion of the matrix should have sufficient rgidity to properly maintain the shape of the surface portion.

It is obvious that certain materiale combine in themselves the essential eharaoteristios thus desoribed of both the base and the surfaoe portion, it being possible, for example, to produce on a flat p1ate of lead or similar material a 10W relief by pressing or 1nolding suoh a plate whie it is flat, the plate thus molded obviouslybeing oapable of being shaped to provide for the main prominenoe and of retaining such shape. It is desirabie, however, to forno che surfaoe portion of the plate of one material and the base portion of another, snoe the material best suited for the produotion of the 10W detaii relief does not usually possess the oharacteristics required to maintain the shape to whieh said surface portion must be reduoed in order to afford the high relief.

It has been found that geiatin is espeoially well adapted to be used for the surface portion of che matrx, since geiatin may be easily 1nolded and is a1so capable of having the low relief formed direetly thereon by sensitzing the geiatin, exposing it, and swelling it in acoordanoe with the weil-known swelled-geilatin process. W'hen gelatin is used, therefore, as the surfaoe portion, it is mounted upon a base portion of another materai having or adapted to have the shape requred to support the gelatin when it is reduced fro1n its flat shape to che shape required GO bring out the prominent or main relief, it being obvious that the base portion may be prepared and shaped without sgecal ski1l, snee it is only necessary to follow the more prominent portions of the design.

It is desirable, however, even when the matrix is made of two different materals, that the base portion should be of sueh a nature that the surfaoe portion may be mounted thereon flat and the entire matrix then brought to the desired shape by manipulating the base portion, it being obvious that the process is more easily carried out in this case, since the person who is preparing the matrix can then observe the reproduetion in 1ow relief and bring out the prominent relief acoordingly.

Figure 1 represents an objeot, photograph, or print from wbich a matrix is to be reprodueed With a view 110 obtaining rneans for embossing subsequent-prints or photographs or of making medallions in which said object is to be shown in relief. Fig. 2 is a seetion of the matrix or the surface portion thereof upon which the detail relief of the object to be reproduced has.been formed, but before the prominent relief has been produced. Fig. 3 is a similar section of a base or support adapted for use With a two-part matrix as above desoribed, and Fig. 4 a section of a two-part matrix complete.

The plate or fihn a, which may be of any material capable of being shaped to produce in relief the details of the objeet or picture, but which is prefe-rably of gelatin, is prepared, asshown in Fig. 2, by molding the same or by sensitizing and exposing it in accordance With the swelled-gelatin process, it being de sirable in many cases to produce the mold by a photogrrphic process which Will accu rately reproduce the detail at slight expense.

The said plate or film in its origina-l form, as shown in Fig.- 2, is substantially flat andof substantially uniform thiekness, except that the general outlines and detail portion of the object shown in Fig. 1 is brought out in slight relief, as indicated at a Fig. 2. It is essential, therefore, if any prominent relief is to be obtained, that the said plate a should be shaped te eonform to the prominent objeet or objeots or pro1ninent portions of a single objeotand maintained thus shaped t0 afford means for producing dies or molds in accorciance With the ultimate objeot of the invention. T0 this end the said plate a is either made of material capable of being molded flat and then shaped and of retaining its shape or, if, as is preferable, it is made of gelatin or similar material, is mounted upon a base portion b, Which, as shown in Fig. 3, is shaped or capable of being shaped to conform to the general shape of the objeot shown in Fig. 1, having, as indieatedin Fig. 8, the prominent portion b which is adapted to underlie and support that portion of the surfaee portion a upon which is reproduced the detail, as indicated at a In eitherease it is obvious that the complete matrix is of such shape as to afford the rnan relief, correspon ding to the general form of the design, and also has an additional surfaoe relief, so to speak, oorresponding to the minor or superficial details of the design.

WVhile, therefore, it is not intended to limit the invention, so far as relates to the material of Which the n1atrix is made, I prefer to use a different 1naterial for the s-urface and base portion, respectively, a gelatin film being probably best adapted for the surface portion and a plate of fiexible non-elastic material, suchas lead, which is capable of being easily shaped and of maintaining its shape with SUfiOQD] rigidity to afford the necessary support for the surface film being probably best adapted for the base portion.

It is fu rther desirable to mount the surfaee film upon the said base portion before the latter is reduoed to its final shape, since the sbaping may then be aeoornplished by manual operat-ions with the actual reproduction in loW relief of the object upon the surface por" tion as a guide, the operation being verysimpie and requiring but slight skill or artistie ability.

Where a 1nold has been obtained, either photographically or otherwise, in reproduetion of the surfaoe detail of the objeet, molten gelatin may be fiowed into the said mold and the plate Z) pressed down upon said gelatin and allowed to rernain until the gelatin cools and solidifies, after which it may be stripped off with the gelatin film adhering thereto, the combined base and surface portions, however, being substantially fiat. The same result may also be obtained by mounting upon the base portion Z) when fiat a film of sensitized gelatin, upon which the relief may be obtained in accordance With the usual swelledgelatin process. The flat plate obtained in aocordanee With the foregoin g methods,or any other suitable method, is then shaped, as shown in Fig. 4, by pressure brought to bear upon the under side thereof, preferably, as indicated, by a manual operation performed while the operator observes the surface of the plate to determine when theproper shape has been obtained.

It is obvious that the matrix embodying the present invention may be produeed at but slight expense and is espeoially adapted for use in producing dies for embossing photographs, pri-nted cuts, or the like for portraits or for advertising purposes, in which work it has been necessary heretofore to produce the dies by'hand, this being an expensive and laborious process,while if a photographie process is used without the aid of the present invention the relief obtained is only that of the surfaoe detail, whioh does not give the prominenoe desired for embossed piotures or medallions.

I claim- 1. Theherein-described matrix,oornprising a plate of substantially uniform thickness having a design in low relief formed on its surface, the body of the said plate having thai; portion of its surface containing the lowrelief design rounded out from the main portion of the plate, thereby to accord with the main configuration of the design, substantially as set forth.

2. Thehereirrdesoribed matrix,comprising a surfaoe portion of one material having a design formed in loW relief, and a base portion having its surface formed in high relief, the high-relief portionof the base oonforming 130 the main configuration of the design in low relief on the surface portion, whereby the said surface portion as a whole is shaped to conforma to the seid base and so mantained, substantial]y es set forth.

S. A die or nmt1ix havng a surface film of gelatin hevng reproduoed uhereon a design in low re1ef, end a base or supportng poroion of flexble, non-elasto material, on whioh said gelatn film is mounted, che oombined plate beng shaped 110 eonform to the main configuration of the image reproduced in 10W relef upon the surfa.ce of the gelatin, sub- 1'o stantally as described.

In testmony whereof I have signed my name no ths speoficaton in the presence of two subserioing witnesses.

JOHN JACOBSON.

Wtnesses:

H. J. LIVERMORE, JAS. J. MALONEY. 

